The Edge Fencer
by Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth
Summary: BIG SPOILERS. Read only if you've BEATEN Summon Night Swordcraft Story 2.An alternate ending. Aera's best efforts aren't enough... but she has the power of the Edge Fencer, and the true nature of that power might just save her. Friendly criticism welcome!


**The Edge Fencer**

Chapter One

This begins after Goura is awakened and holds Lynn in the chamber with him, and Aera has just fought Guren/Goura (referred to as GurenGoura) and discovered her weapons don't work.

"Do you see now?" GurenGoura spat, the choking stench of brimstone hissing through the Chamber of Seals. "None of your weapons will harm me."

Aera couldn't respond. Her body was battered, and nearly broken. The power of the Edge Fencer hadn't been enough…

"Aera!"

Wincing, Aera tried to turn her head to the left. Who was calling her…?

Ryouga was suddenly at her side, cradling her head in his arms. "Don't do this, Aera. You can't stop now…"

"Ry… Ryouga…" Aera whispered. Her lungs felt heavy…

"Move, traitor. Your presence in my plans is past."

The floor rumbled as GurenGoura commanded Ryouga.

Ryouga bowed his head.Then he turned a glare on the beast.

"Return my sister to me."

GurenGoura snarled. "I will not return her, because she serves me willingly!"

"GIVE ME MY SISTER!"

Ryouga roared, suddenly slipping into his Summon form.

Aera was too weak to shudder. Her body was wracked with pain, and her mind was slowly fading…

-Get up, Edge Fencer.- A voice floated through her mind.

"Aaah!" Aera let out a yell as an electrical shock coursed through her. As the pain receded, she felt her heart pumping…

-Get up! Challenge the beast!-

"What…" Aera wondered. "…Goura?"

-Let me reclaim my body from this evil force!-

Aera stood, shaking. Her eyes turned to Ryouga.

"…Master?"

Dinah's call slid off Aera's ears and fell quietly to the floor.

"Master!"

Dinah the angel dashed to Aera's side, grasping her arm. Aera seemed to come out of a daze.

"Dinah…"

"Master, can you fight? What's going to happen?"

Am I going to fight? Aera wondered. She marveled at the life flowing back through her, filling her with energy she had known only a few times when the Mono Shift passed through her…

Yes. I'm going to fight.

I'm going to destroy Guren's spirit and hopefully, Goura will follow.

But will that be enough…?

"Dinah, I need you to go."

"What?" The angel was shocked. "Master, I can't leave your side!"

Aera bowed her head. The answer was coming to her.

-Get rid of her and FIGHT!-

Aera cried out, falling to her knees. Goura's spirit within her was almost taking over…

"Master Aera!"

The angel had disappeared, and Dinah the devil stood beside Aera.

"We have to destroy it, now! You swore you'd protect me!"

"I did," Aera whispered. She turned to look at Dinah.

She smiled.

Dinah reeled. The terrible sadness behind the smile was almost enough to make a devil weep.

"And the only way to protect you now," she said quietly, "is to send you home."

Both Dinahs gasped, the angel pounding on the walls of the devil's soul, trying to escape to speak to Aera.

"No," the devil said quietly. "No, you can't."

"I have to."

Aera held Dinah tightly in her arms.

"Master…" Dinah, her face a furious shade of red, fought hard to choke down the crying. "I won't leave you!"

"You have to, Dinah. I've protected you as much as I could."

Dinah felt herself suddenly begin to slip away. The bond between Guardian Beast and Craftknight was breaking.

"No, Aera!" The angel appeared suddenly. "We have to fight alongside you to banish—" she stopped suddenly in shock as Aera kissed her.

"That was to say thank you," Aera said quietly.

Dinah touched her lips where they had met Aera's. Her hand began to shake as she looked into Aera's eyes again.

The devil reappeared. She was no longer able to hide her tears.

"So," she said quietly. "You tell the angel how much you appreciate her and not me?"

Aera didn't answer. She kissed Dinah on the lips, holding her for enough time to try and say just how much the Guardian Beast had mattered to her.

Dinah felt the tugging of Sapureth pull at her soul again. "Master…!"

Ryouga stood and watched, his sadness nearly matching Aera's. He knew what was going to come. Aera would channel what was left of Goura's spirit in here, and the resulting battle would probably destroy the entire labyrinth with its power.

And then the room filled with a brilliant light. Dinah was returning to Sapureth.

"I'll come back!" the devil shouted, tears still leaking from her eyes. "And I swear, I'll never let go of you again!"

"Goodbye, Master Aera," the angel whispered, gaining control for a moment. She trembled, barely able to meet Aera's eyes. "I hope we can meet again…" a small smile almost managed to touch her face. "I think we might."

Their souls faded out of Lyndbaum. Aera gazed into the spot where they had stood before turning to look at Ryouga.

"Aera…"

"Ryouga." The hardest goodbye behind her, Aera was speaking with an awful sense of purpose.

He looked at her. He could see the set to her stance, the look in her eyes, and he knew.

He nodded. "I'll go and tell the villagers to leave."

"Do that," Aera whispered. "And tell them all… that I'm sorry."

Ryouga gently reached out and touched her face, just for a second. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

He was gone.

Aera took a steadying breath and turned to meet the glare of GurenGoura.

The beast recoiled. Here was something it had not expected.

A piece of his own soul… working with this Edge Fencer to defeat him?

"Begone from my soul, Guren." A half-human growl boomed out from Aera's throat. "And let the girl go."

GurenGoura hesitated for perhaps a minute. Then it nodded impatiently.

Lynn crumpled.

Aera outstretched a hand toward Lynn's body, and it vanished to join the others at Goura's Gate far above. She marveled quietly at the new magic Goura's soul gave her.

"I will not destroy you," Goura said through Aera, "if you leave, Summoner, and return to the hell where you belong."

"I revived you!" Guren snarled. "I belong nowhere but here, standing beside you as we conquer the world!"

"I would never stand beside a power-thirsty one such as you."

GurenGoura glared. "Then it's time that I destroyed this last piece of your soul, and claimed the rest as my own."

Aera let out a rushing breath as she felt Goura's soul rise and spread through her body.

She stood eight feet tall, clad in gold armor with the Edge Fencer's spiked wings around her.

"Face me then, Guren."

GurenGoura roared and leapt to the attack.


End file.
